Since the advent of the small computer with associated printers which have become widespread in recent years, considerable attention and efforts have been directed to methods and systems for simplifying the process of preparing large numbers of letters and envelopes and reducing the amount of labor involved in the process.
Several inventors have shown methods of preparing form letters on computers and preparing at the same time envelopes with the address information relating to respective letters.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,909, as an example, shows a computerized correspondence form wherein several layers, i.e. plies of sprocket-fed paper are processed through a printer and wherein various layers provide adhesive, carbon copying, and other features to produce a complete mailing system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,398 shows another multi-ply letter and envelope printing arrangement based on sprocket-fed paper material.
Still other arrangements are shown in the prior art for preparing printed envelopes and letters in one continuous process.
All the arrangements of the known art, however, suffer from the drawback that complex multi-ply sprocket-fed paper material must be used. Such material is not only expensive, but requires printers capable of printing through several plies of material, and do not lend themselves for use in smaller offices and establishments where specialized printing equipment and paper handling machinery is not readily available.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an arrangement that makes it possible to prepare letters and envelopes from single ply paper stock that can be handled in computers and printers as are commonly used in offices wherein large specially adapted machines are not readily available.